Redemption
by xxstarryeyed
Summary: Loki has endured Asgardian punishment for the past four years. Meanwhile, the Chitauri race has revived and is searching for Loki. They inform the Avengers that if Loki is not presented to them, they will return to destroy the Earth. Tony&Bruce, Natasha&Clint, Loki&Thor, Steve
1. Chapter 1

**Redemption**

_Pairings_: Tony&Bruce, Natasha&Clint, Loki&Thor, Steve&OC  
_Summary_: Loki has endured Asgardian punishment for the past four years. Meanwhile, the Chitauri race has revived and is searching for Loki. They inform the Avengers that if Loki is not presented to them, they will return to destroy the Earth.

_Author's Note_: First Avengers fanfiction. First time I've done any writing for years and years. So please be nice. Romances will most likely develop slowly.

* * *

Chapter One

_Huff. Huff. Huff. _

Loki could only hear the sound of his labored breathing. He knew that the guards were still in his cell, but he could not recognize their faces. Over the past few days, his eyesight had deteriorated, and all objects in his field of vision were consistently blurry.

Loki didn't move – not even to flinch – as one of the guards approached him to continue the physical torture – his punishment for the human deaths he'd caused four years ago. He was suddenly aware of the blood dripping down his forehead; the guard had grabbed a fistful of his hair, and in doing so, dug his fingernails into Loki's scalp. Loki could feel his knees scraping against the cold floor, which was made from jagged stone, as the guard dragged him across the cell to the metal restraints attached to the cell wall.

Loki endured another half-hour of sharp, painful blows of the guard's whip. Asgardian whips were much more advanced than those of humans', as Asgard weapon-makers embedded Bilgesnipe scales into the material to maximize effectiveness of torture.

Finally, the guards exited, leaving Loki to recover as best he could.

During his imprisonment, Loki had spent many lonely hours reflecting on the events leading up to this fate. He'd never been close to success, he realized. Even with the Chitauri army behind him, he was unable to exterminate even one of the Avengers. During the first several months in Asgard prison, he'd hoped to escape and try again; as time went on, he realized that not only was escape impossible due to Odin's specific anti-magic precautions, but that fighting the Avengers again by himself would be futile.

At times, during especially intense punishment sessions with the guards, he even regretted his earlier decision to attack Earth.

Loki let out a low groan as he slipped into unconsciousness – the last defense against pain that Loki could muster.

* * *

Tony Stark adjusted his tie in the mirror. "How do I look, Jarvis?"

"Sophisticated as usual, sir," his intelligent computer replied.

Tony turned toward the door and proceeded into his grandiose living room, which contained over fifty of his favorite acquaintances. Among the crowd were his close friends, better known on Earth – and on other planets – as the Avengers.

"Oh, good, there you all are. I was wondering if you'd ever show up," Tony said to his friends, who had only arrived minutes earlier. "I was beginning to think you didn't like me anymore."

"What is this party for, Tony?" Natasha Romanoff asked, her arms crossed. Although she looked forward to the high-quality alcohol that Tony was notorious for serving at his parties, she had other places to be. She'd turned down a high-profile job offer to be there.

"It's been four years," Tony reminded her. He meant it was the fourth anniversary of the Avengers' victory over Loki's invasion. Since then, the planet had not experienced any other conflict with alien life forces. Of course, there had been need for the Avengers during the past several years, as threats of nuclear war put the world into panic. But compared to their battle against the Chitauri, solving nuclear war threats was a piece of cake.

There was a moment of silence among the Avengers, although the room was still filled with the lively chatter of other guests. Each of the Avengers reflected on their most difficult battle, reliving the intense emotions they felt while defending their planet. Although proud that they saved Earth, they were glad that they had never had to fight against another alien species since then.

Tony was first to break the silence. "Well, how about drinks? Scotch?" He picked up a couple glasses from the bar and handed them to Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner. Steve immediately handed his glass over to Clint Barton. Tony always seemed to forget that alcohol did not provide the same level of enjoyment to Steve as it did to most other humans.

"Cheers," Tony said as the group clinked their glasses together. However, before the glasses could reach their lips, the group heard an explosion just outside Tony Stark's tower.

"It seems you have a few people trying to crash your party," Bruce stated, walking calmly toward the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, as the rest of the group rushed over after him.

What stood – or rather, hovered – before them sent a jolt of dread through each of their bodies. The creatures were unmistakable. Somehow, the Chitauri were back.

* * *

Tony's guests began to scream and panic. They too remembered the battle against the Chitauri; the whole world had seen the army on the news, and many of the guests in Stark's tower were residents of New York. They had experienced the terror firsthand.

Tony looked down to his wrists, double-checking that his wristbands were on, in case he needed to activate his fighting apparel. Steve inched closer to the side of the room, where he'd left his shield in a closet. Clint and Natasha were already armed – they tended not to go anywhere unprepared.

One member of the Chitauri group in front of them came closer to the window. He reached forward and broke the glass. Internally, Tony began to whine about the time and money it would take to have the window repaired.

His thoughts were cut short when the Chitauri group's leader began to speak. "Give us Loki, and we will leave your planet peacefully." His low, raspy voice sent shudders down Natasha's spine. She turned to Clint to read his expression. His furrowed brows and slightly down-turned lips showed only that he was not happy with the situation – the exact same sentiments felt by the rest of the Avengers.

"We don't have him," Natalia responded, stepping forward with her right hand on her gun.

"Our sources say that Loki is here. Do not lie to us. You thought you destroyed us with your nuclear device, but we survived. The Chitauri always survive. We have raised an army – this time stronger. If you do not give Loki to us, we will destroy you," the creature hissed, pointing his weapon at the Avengers.

"I can assure you that Loki is not here. He returned to Asgard," Bruce stated. His voice contained a hint of anger, but his face did not waver from his calm expression.

"If he were in Asgard, we would be able to sense him. We, the Chitauri, have a keen sense of magic, and we know for certain that there is a strong presence of magic here," the leader snarled. He raised his left appendage, and one of the group members destroyed a nearby building with a weapon resembling a laser.

Steve grabbed his shield and Tony raised his arms in position so that his suit could properly form around him. However, before Tony could give the command, the Chitauri leader spoke again.

"You have three days, measured by Midgard's rotations, to present Loki to us. We will bring our new, stronger army, and if you do not give him to us, we will kill every human on this worthless planet."

Tony signaled to Jarvis, and his suit came flying at him. Clint began to fire arrows at the group of Chitauri, while Natalia shot at them with her gun. Once Tony's suit was fully formed, he flew at them, sending destructive beams from his hands at the Chitauri.

But the Chitauri suddenly disappeared before their eyes. The Avengers had failed to kill even one of the creatures.

The team turned toward the destroyed building. Tony sped toward the crumbling wall, hoping to catch the debris before it could hit anyone on the ground. Steve rushed down the stairs and across the street. He began to pick up pieces of the building, freeing those trapped beneath it.

Natasha and Clint made a phone call to headquarters. Nick Fury would definitely be expecting their report.

* * *

Fury insisted that the team go to New Mexico. Thus, the team found itself on one of Tony's private planes. At first, nobody seemed to have anything to say, and they all sat in silence – except for the flirty stewardess Tony had hired, who offered them all water and snacks. But nobody was in the mood for eating.

Steve was the first to voice his thoughts. "I think we need to talk to Thor."

"That doesn't seem possible, since he's on a completely different planet right now," replied Natasha.

"Well, the Chitauri are back, and I bet they are trying to help free Loki," Steve said, his hands clenching into fists. "Maybe they want his help getting the Tesseract again."

"Why would they do that? I'm sure they know the Tesseract is in Asgard," Natasha mused. "If they wanted the Tesseract, they would only need to try to invade Asgard – not Earth."

"But they think Loki is here. They said they sensed magic here. I'm not sure what they meant by that," Bruce added to the conversation. He didn't say all his thoughts aloud. He was puzzled by the Chitauri's statement – how could they sense magic on Earth, but not on Asgard, where Loki was truly located?

Fury greeted the team when the plane landed in New Mexico. "Glad you could make it. We need to hurry, if the two of you gave accurate reports." He glanced over at Natasha and Clint. "Jane Foster is waiting, and I believe you will find that she will be quite useful to us."

"How do you mean, sir?" Steve asked, adjusting the belt on his uniform. Fury had requested that the team arrive ready for action.

"She has found a way to take you to Asgard," Fury responded, gesturing for the team to quickly enter the vehicle he had arrived in. The black vehicle with tinted windows provided immediate relief from the heat. None of the team were used to New Mexico's desert climate. It took another hour for them to reach Jane's lab.

When they arrived, they saw a green aura around the lab. The hue intensified as they got nearer and nearer.

"Your favorite color, Dr. Banner," Tony stated smartly. Bruce replied with a chuckle, but his eyes showed that he was not amused.

As the group exited the vehicle, Jane came running up to them. "You need to hurry. I haven't really perfected this yet, so-"

"You haven't perfected it? And you want us to use this?" Tony asked incredulously.

"It will work. Just not for long," Jane retorted, glaring back at Tony. It had taken years for her to create a portal that could connect different worlds. This portal could only bring travelers to Asgard; she wasn't sure if it would bring them back as well. She could only hope that Thor could transport them back. She strongly wished to tell them this crucial information, but Fury had directed her not to – he was worried that one of the team members might back out.

"Let's go then," Steve said bravely, jogging toward the machine. The rest of the team followed.

They stepped into the beam of light. Jane told them to close their eyes. As they did so, they felt a tingling sensation in their scalps. For a split second, they all felt like they were choking. And then their eyes were flooded with light.


	2. Chapter 2

**Redemption**

_Pairings_: Tony&Bruce, Natasha&Clint, Loki&Thor, Steve&OC  
_Summary_: Loki has endured Asgardian punishment for the past four years. Meanwhile, the Chitauri race has revived and is searching for Loki. They inform the Avengers that if Loki is not presented to them, they will return to destroy the Earth.

_Author's Note_: Still deciding whether or not to focus specifically on one pairing, or equally on all of them. And yes, this will be a rather slow-developing plot. Hope you don't mind. I don't like rushing into things.

_TW_: Suicidal thoughts.

* * *

Chapter Two

Tony noted that Asgard's infrastructure was magnificent – he was already beginning to formulate blueprints for his next skyscraper, with the giant castle in front of them as his inspiration. Light seemed to gleam from every inch of walls, even though the planet's sun was on the opposite side of the building. Even the walking path on which they had landed seemed to shimmer, although the path's shimmer was markedly less pronounced than the glittering of the castle walls.

The team approached the castle, prepared to search thoroughly for Thor. But Thor was one step ahead of them – he had seen the green aura that transported the team to his realm.

"Friends!" he greeted, his face wearing a large grin. He was shocked that they had been able to travel here; the bifrost had not been accessible since Mjolnir destroyed it, and nobody had access to the Tesseract – not even Thor himself. "How did you get to Asgard? I am very surprised at your appearance. But it is a pleasant surprise."

"I have to say, Thor, you have a really nice house here. I mean, mine's definitely better, but-" Tony began.

"The Chitauri paid us a not-so-nice visit," Natasha cut Tony off, not wanting to waste any time. She tilted her head and crossed her arms, her serious pose communicating a sense of urgency.

"But the Chitauri are dead," Thor replied, a confused look spreading across his face.

"Apparently not," Clint said, stepping next to Natasha. "And they want Loki."

Thor grew silent as he cast his eyes toward the ground, his hand curling into a tight fist. The rest of the team just stared at him expectantly.

"Let's go inside," Thor suggested after a tense silence.

The group walked into Thor's castle and followed him to a dining hall that seemed as if it were the size of a football field. Thor motioned for them to sit.

"We only have three days, Thor. Three days to prepare for the Chitauri attack. Because I sure as hell am not going to let anyone free Loki," Natasha said.

"Can you explain what happened?" Thor requested, still unsure of the specifics of the sudden events.

"Well, I was throwing one of my awesome, wild parties, when the Chitauri smashed their way into my living room as if they were invited," Tony explained. "They told us they sensed some magical stuff, meaning that they thought Loki was there. But he's not. He's still here right?"

"Yes, he is here. But I have not seen him since the beginning of his imprisonment," Thor replied solemnly. Although he had requested that Odin grant him permission to visit his brother, Odin had forbidden it. In fact, Odin had forbidden anyone except the guards to enter the prison in which Loki was kept. Thor assumed that Odin chose solitary confinement as Loki's punishment.

"They gave us three days to free Loki to them," Bruce continued in place of Tony. "They are threatening us with another war."

"I will gladly fight with you," Thor readily offered. "And my army, as well. We will not have to fight, only the six of us, against the entire Chitauri army."

The team seemed slightly comforted by Thor's offer. Although Midgard had armies of its own, the political division between nations would undoubtedly hinder human victory. Also, the skill set and weaponry of the Asgardian army was definitely more powerful than those that existed in Midgard.

"We have some questions we need to ask Loki," Clint stated after a brief moment of silence. However, in truth, Fury had asked Clint and Natasha to find the answer to only one question: what did Loki plan to do once he was let out of Asgard's prison; in other words, what did the future of Earth contain? Fury was worried that war was inevitable. If Loki were to be kept from the Chitauri, the Chitauri would attack Earth. If Loki were to be given to the Chitauri, perhaps Loki would also attack Earth.

"I do not know if the Allfather will grant your request, but I can gain you his presence," Thor told them.

* * *

Loki licked his dry, chapped lips. His entire body trembled as he took shuddered breaths. He felt numb – the position he was locked in compromised his circulation.

He heard the creaking of the cell door open. His breaths sped up as horror shot through his body. They usually gave him a longer recovery period between rounds of punishment.

He had not begged for mercy the entire four years he'd been in that cell, and he was determined that today would not be the first. He had lost his freedom and magic – but a part of him clung to his dignity. He would not let them take that as well.

Loki dug his fingernails into his palm as his hands clenched into fists, mentally preparing himself for the torture to come.

Instead, the guard unlocked the chains that kept him bound to the wall. Because he had not expected to be released from the chains, his legs gave out beneath him, and he fell to the floor.

"Get up, Loki," the guard commanded. The guard's voice held no respect. It was a tone Loki was accustomed to; it was a tone that angered him. In the past, he had often wished to be as respected and loved as Thor. "You have visitors."

Loki looked at the guard suspiciously, but had no choice but to comply. Although he was a skilled and trained fighter, the malnourishment he experienced had reduced his physical prowess to almost nothing.

He slowly rose to his feet and shuffled along with the guard. At times, he fell behind; he had been unchained, but he still wore the heavy shackles around his ankles that were meant to disable his magic.

The guards placed him in a room not too different from his cell – it was cold, dark, and windowless. They made him sit in a steel chair. It was not comfortable, but it was the first time he'd sat on a chair since his imprisonment.

After a few minutes, he heard the door handle click, and he was shocked at the people who entered his cell – definitely not people he expected to see again.

* * *

Tony, Natasha, Clint, and Steve entered the cell. Thor could not bring himself to face Loki just yet. He feared that he would get in the way of the interrogation, as he could not be an unbiased member of the group. Bruce had decided that he would stand nearby the door to listen to the conversation. He also offered to stand outside as a precautionary measure – if Loki attempted escape, he would have no qualms smashing the tiny god.

"Hello, Loki," Natasha greeted, her face showing no sign of friendliness.

It had been years since Loki had uttered any sounds besides the occasional cries and hisses of pain. He wasn't sure he would even be able to find his voice.

"Hello," he managed to respond after several seconds of silence. His voice was raspy, and his tongue felt odd against the roof of his mouth. "What brings my old enemies to Asgard?"

Loki raised his chin and squared his shoulders as best he could. He did not want to let his enemies know his current suffering and fear. As he straightened out his back, he could feel the sting from a Bilgesnipe shard that remained lodged near his shoulder blade. He was careful not to let his face reflect the discomfort.

"It seems your friends, the Chitauri, miss you," Tony told him, sitting down on a chair across the table.

Loki's vision momentarily blackened as a memory suddenly flashed through his mind. "_If you fail…_" a deep voice seemed to whisper in his ear. "_You think you know pain?_"

"Why do they want you, Loki? Are you planning on waging war against our people again?" Steve asked him while taking a step toward the table. Although Steve tried to be as nice as possible to everyone he encountered, he greatly disliked Loki and was hesitant to show him any kindness.

Loki just closed his eyes and smirked. He knew what the Chitauri wanted – and they did not desire war. They desired vengeance. They desired Loki's blood spilled and splattered across the floor. They desired Loki's agony. And Loki knew that the Chitauri were capable of torture far more painful than the torture he faced here in Asgard.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Loki replied. "I've been trapped in this prison for quite awhile now. I thought Thor would have told you that."

As soon as the word 'Thor' left his mouth, a sharp pain stabbed at his chest. This pain, Loki realized, was not the result of his punishment. He realized that, although he felt so much anger toward Thor, he missed him.

"Bullshit," Clint spat. He was about to go on an angry tirade – he never forgave Loki for the mind control stunt. However, Natasha stopped him before he could turn this interrogation into an emotionally charged screaming match.

"Look, Loki. If you give us information that will help us defeat the Chitauri, then we'll give you something," Natasha bargained. "Whatever it is you want, except we will not release you from prison. Better meals, comfortable living quarters, rights to see visitors – name one thing, and you can have it."

Loki chuckled, but there was not a hint of mirth in his laugh. He knew they would not give him to the Chitauri since they believed that the Chitauri wanted him to return as their leader. And Loki had no desire to be put in far crueler hands. In truth, Loki only wanted freedom again – a condition they were not willing to offer.

Loki was determined, and he knew exactly how to attain freedom – through death.


	3. Chapter 3

**Redemption**

_Pairings_: Tony&Bruce, Natasha&Clint, Loki&Thor, Steve&OC  
_Summary_: Loki has endured Asgardian punishment for the past four years. Meanwhile, the Chitauri race has revived and is searching for Loki. They inform the Avengers that if Loki is not presented to them, they will return to destroy the Earth.

_TW_: Suicidal thoughts.

* * *

Chapter Three

"Alright, humans, I will agree to your terms," Loki replied. "What would you like to know?"

Tony eyed Loki suspiciously. Loki accepted their terms easily – maybe a little too easily. He glanced toward the door, knowing that Bruce most likely shared his opinion.

"First, tell us your terms," Natasha ordered. She was confident that the situation was foolproof. After all, if Loki's request was too extreme, they could always refuse to fulfill it in the end.

"I think you all would enjoy my request greatly," Loki informed them, easily sensing the anger and hatred the humans still felt toward him.

The team's eyes narrowed. They couldn't help but feel suspicious at everything Loki said. After all, he was known as the god of mischief, the god of lies.

"What do you want then?" asked Steve. He wanted to hurry this conversation along, get the necessary information, and prevent as many human deaths as possible.

"Once you are satisfied with the knowledge and aid I will give you," Loki said. "I would like to be executed."

Natasha's eyes widened with surprise. Clint's lips turned upwards in a smirk. The rest of the team kept straight faces, but didn't know how to respond. For a moment, the team sat in a shocked silence.

"Alright," Natasha agreed. Although she was surprised by the request, she agreed with Loki – she would enjoy that request greatly. She felt that execution was the punishment Loki deserved in the first place. In her opinion, it was a punishment that suited his crimes much more appropriately than imprisonment. She felt that no amount of prison could ever reform a person like Loki.

Suddenly, Thor crashed through the door. He had heard Loki's request from the outside hall, and he was shocked, to say the least. Although the thought of Loki imprisoned hurt him greatly, the thought of Loki dead sent daggers of pain through his chest.

"Loki," Thor said. It was the first time he'd seen Loki in years. "Change your request."

Loki tried to find words to respond, but he was a little shocked to see Thor. Because he could not bring himself to say anything to the god before him, he opted to stay silent. Thor, taking his silence as contempt, stood silently in the corner of the room. He could not think of more words to say either. It was a pathetic reunion, Loki noted.

"Loki made his decision," Clint said. His voice held a ring of happiness to it. He hoped he would be given the honor of the role of Loki's executioner. Thor, in response, glared harshly.

Loki stared steadily in front of him, avoiding Thor's gaze. He was still so angry with Thor; he harbored a resentment that had not subsided in the least for the past four years. But despite that resentment, a small part of him felt slightly hurt that Thor had not once visited him. He hated that Thor looked down on him so much that Thor could not witness in person the punishment given to him.

"We need to return to Earth," Bruce told the group as he entered the room. "We've been in Asgard for twelve hours now."

The group had decided, before questioning Loki, that it would be best to take Thor and Loki to Earth, since the Chitauri would be returning there. Thor had begged his father to allow them to use the Tesseract, since the bifrost was not usable.

As the team left the room, Loki allowed himself to be chained and muzzled – much like when he was captured after his attack on Midgard four years ago. As Thor placed the muzzle around Loki's head, the two made eye contact. Thor frowned slightly when he looked into Loki's eyes. His eyes seemed dimmer; they lacked their usual sparkle. Thor could tell from Loki's posture that Loki still clung to his dignity. But from Loki's eyes, Thor could tell that he had lost a basic element of himself. Thor just didn't know what that lost element was.

* * *

"Uh, what the hell is this?" Tony asked, turning to Fury. There was a large, metal box in the middle of his living room. Like the interrogation room in Asgard, the box had no windows.

"A holding cell for Loki," Fury replied, turning toward Thor and Loki. He motioned for Thor to put Loki in the oversized cage.

Inside the box, there were two chairs – both bolted to the floor of the box. A small light bulb at the ceiling dimly illuminated the metal box. Loki sat on one of the chairs, his eyes downcast, as Thor removed the muzzle and reapplied the chains so that Loki was chained to the chair. Then Thor wordlessly left the box, closing and locking the door behind him.

"Okay, but why did you put it in the middle of my living room?" Tony yelled. The box was an eyesore, and Tony didn't understand why Fury didn't just put it on the roof or in an unused room.

"Deal with it, Stark," Fury snapped. Tony just rolled his eyes in response, a signal that he was giving up the argument even though he still was annoyed.

Fury turned to Natasha, who was sitting on Stark's large couch with her arms crossed.

"In the past, you were able to attain accurate information from Loki. I'm depending on you for the rest of the interrogations," Fury commanded Natasha. She nodded in response, rose from the couch, and entered the small metal box.

"Wait," Thor's voice boomed. He followed Natasha into the cage. "I wish to be present during your interrogation of Loki."

Thor let Natasha sit on the other chair, which was located across from Loki. Thor stood next to Natasha, not saying a word – he did not want to interrupt the interrogation, but he wanted to see if the time Loki had spent in isolation made Loki into a better person, a reformed person. If so, Thor would plead with his father to allow Loki to remain out of Asgard prison.

"So, tell us what you know about the Chitauri. Do you know anything about why they are back?" Natasha asked Loki.

Loki shifted in his chair uncomfortably. The travel between realms had put stress on his body, and in doing so, reopened some of the recent, more severe wounds on his back. He felt the sharp sting of the Bilgesnipe scale digging into his skin, and he could feel a thin stream of blood trailing down his back. It took all his willpower to make sure his face did not reflect his pain.

"I did not know they would return to Earth, but I did know that they would return for me if I failed to steal the Tesseract," Loki replied, mostly truthfully. He left out the fact that they pursued him in order to torture him. He needed them to keep thinking that the Chitauri wanted him free.

"They said that they sensed magic here. They thought we were keeping you in our prisons," Natasha told him.

Loki's eyes crinkled slightly as his lips curled in a smirk.

"Magic, you say? Now that is interesting," Loki mused. And he was interested. He could not sense any magic because of the hindrances attached to his ankles. But not many beings beside himself had a magical trace strong enough for the Chitauri to sense.

"What do you know about it?" Natasha asked. She sensed that he might know something about it – or be able to help them learn something about it.

"Nothing," Loki replied. "Unless you remove these shackles from my ankles – Thor should be strong enough to rip them apart. Of course, you put yourself and your world at risk; this will give me back my magic."

Natasha knew that Fury would absolutely refuse. But gaining information about the magic present on Earth could prove incredibly useful. Natasha turned to Thor, seeking his opinion.

"I do not know if it would be wise to let Loki have access to his powers," Thor said. "But we might have no choice. He is the only one who can help us with tracing the magic here."

"You really don't need to worry," Loki said. His voice sounded taunting, but he was being honest. He had no intention of trying to escape. He knew that he could not win a battle against the Avengers.

These thoughts sparked a memory – a memory of the man he killed, who was close to the Avengers. "You will not win…because you lack conviction," the memory of the agent's voice murmured in his mind. He knew that it was true. He had plenty of time in Asgard prison to reflect, and he was certain that this agent was correct. Loki's lack of conviction ultimately resulted in his loss of the war, a strong example being his inability – or his lack of desire – to kill Thor on Tony Stark's roof. He glanced at Thor's waist as he remembered stabbing him with a dagger, missing all of Thor's vital organs.

"I have no intention of starting another war," Loki finished after a brief pause in his speech.

"I'm not going to Fury on this," Natasha decided. She did not want to have to directly disobey orders, and opted to apologize afterward instead. "Thor, can you take off his shackles without breaking them? We'll need to put them back on after he gives us information about the source of the magic."

Thor agreed. He could sense that Loki was physically weaker than he used to be, so the likelihood of Loki escaping was low. He guessed that years of being unable to participate in warriors' training had caused Loki to lose a little muscle mass. He leaned down to remove the shackles.

"Loki," Thor said in shock as he pulled up Loki's pant leg. Near the shackles were severely infected wounds – wounds that undoubtedly made walking an agony-filled experience. Thor's brows furrowed in confusion as he tried to wrap his head around the situation. "Where did you get these?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Redemption**

_Pairings_: Tony&Bruce, Natasha&Clint, Loki&Thor, Steve&OC  
_Summary_: Loki has endured Asgardian punishment for the past four years. Meanwhile, the Chitauri race has revived and is searching for Loki. They inform the Avengers that if Loki is not presented to them, they will return to destroy the Earth.

_Author's Note_: This is not a deathfic.

_TW_: Suicidal thoughts.

* * *

Chapter Four

Thor's hand rested on one of the shackles on Loki's ankles. The lighting in the small room was dim, but Thor could recognize the unmistakable scent of infection – he was an experienced warrior, and had suffered through many wound infections in the past. Loki shifted his legs slightly, trying to block his wounds from Thor's sight. The last thing he wanted was pity, and he knew that Thor's kind heart would feel nothing but sympathy.

"We must get these wounds treated," Thor said. "We cannot keep him like this. It would be torture."

Even though Thor agreed with Odin and the leaders of Earth that Loki deserved punishment, Thor highly disapproved of torture as a means of justice. He believed that torture, as a tool for reform, was ineffective and unnecessary. He knew that Odin occasionally ordered torture for the worst criminals, but Thor had decided long ago that he would immediately end all torture sentences once he wore the crown.

"Tell me, _brother_, what do you know of torture?" Loki hissed, his voice dripping with resentment. Although he previously had no intention of revealing the conditions he'd been kept in, he couldn't help but snap at Thor. If Thor had visited him, even once, he'd know the true consequences of Loki's forced return to Asgard.

Thor remained silent – an unusual occurrence. In truth, he did not know anything of torture, as he had neither dealt nor received such treatment. But he could not bring himself to keep Loki in this condition. Perhaps Bruce would be able to treat the wounds. Even though the gods generally healed faster than humans, levels of pain were similar between the two types of beings.

"We'll have Dr. Banner take a look at him," Natasha said, seemingly reading Thor's mind. She did not particularly like Loki, but she was worried that his physical weakness would end up being a liability.

Natasha stepped out of the holding cell.

"Dr. Banner, your presence is requested inside," she announced in her naturally sultry voice. She held the door open for the doctor.

"And how exactly can I be helpful in this situation? I'm not sure if trapping me in this large metal box is a wise decision," Bruce replied as he stepped inside. Thor motioned for Bruce to look down at Loki's ankles.

"We'll need to move him to a different location if I am to treat these," Bruce said as he adjusted his glasses. His face showed no reaction to the smell and sight of the infection. As a doctor, he had seen wounds like these before – although Loki's untreated ankle wounds were among the most difficult cases Bruce had seen during his career.

* * *

Fury was not pleased when the team moved Loki into a nearby bathroom, but with the entire team agreeing with Natasha, he had no choice but to allow it. Most of the team did not agree with Natasha out of pure compassion, although small parts of Steve and Tony felt a little bit of sympathy toward Loki. Instead, the team agreed that Loki's present condition could turn out to be a liability if the Chitauri returned earlier than expected.

The only person who did agree with Fury's discontent with the situation was Loki. A steely frown was etched on his face as Bruce asked Loki to remove his pants. Even though only Bruce and Thor remained with him in the bathroom, he was hesitant to allow them to view not only his heavily marred skin, but also his thin body frame from years of poor nutrition.

"That was not part of this agreement," Loki argued. He did not even attempt to hide the anger in his voice – but the fear he felt was heavily masked. The wounds on his ankles did hurt him – but they had been infected for quite a long time, so he had adjusted to the pain. The pain in his back, however, still stung greatly.

Bruce walked closer to Loki. In turn, Loki took a few steps back. He felt cornered and defensive, although he was sure that his face only reflected malice. After a few steps, Loki's back was pressed to the wall, his chained hands uncomfortably pressed against the base of his back.

"Look, I'm only going to help you, even though I really, really don't want to," Bruce told him, raising his hands up slowly to grab Loki's arm and pull him toward the center of the bathroom, where the lighting was best. Loki had no choice but to allow it. He fixed his face to an emotionless expression.

"Then _don't_ help me," Loki replied to Bruce. Loki's eyes were narrowed.

Thor looked at the spot where Loki had backed up against the wall, and noticed a light shade of red. A sudden realization hit him, and he turned quickly to look at Loki's back. He noticed that the cloth hanging on Loki's frame was damp.

"Doctor, I must speak to my brother alone. I will talk some sense into him," Thor requested. Bruce nodded, more than happy to take a break from dealing with Loki.

"Remove my shackles," Loki demanded once Bruce left the bathroom. "I will help you and your beloved, disgusting, _weak_ planet. I want no sympathy from you."

"Loki, I have seen your bare skin many times in the past. I do not understand why you will not allow it once more," Thor said, carefully and slowly getting closer to Loki.

Loki took a step back and squared his shoulders. As he did so, an excruciating jolt of pain coursed through his body. His face involuntarily contorted into a pained grimace. Loki realized that when he backed up against the wall, he had accidentally pressed the Bilgesnipe shard deeper into his flesh. Concentrating on the sensation on his back, he realized that the blood flow coming from the wound had become heavier.

Loki looked at Thor, and immediately felt anger boiling in his chest. Thor was giving him a look of genuine concern – a look that made Loki sick. He could not stand Thor's kind nature. Before Loki's imprisonment, he had not minded that characteristic in people. But now, after experiencing years of cruelty, he felt that kindness was synonymous with condescension.

Thor had moved closer to Loki, and was surprised that Loki had stopped backing away. Upon looking at Loki's expression, he realized that it was pain that had stopped Loki from moving. He did not feel pity toward Loki, but he was very concerned. Even though Loki had taken a darker path, Thor had never stopped caring about Loki – he simply couldn't, no matter how hard he tried.

Loki knew that he could not get away from Thor, so he had no choice but to let Thor undress him. He hated the way he felt as his clothes were taken from him until he was standing in front of Thor – naked, except for his undergarments, with his hands chained tightly behind him. He felt vulnerable, weak, and undignified.

Thor's expression was solemn as he took in Loki's current state. Loki's body was covered in scars as well as wounds that had not yet healed. Loki's skin clung tightly to his ribs, and Thor knew that Loki had been deprived of adequate nutrition – possibly even starved for weeks on end. The thinness of Loki's body frame suggested that the guards had intentionally starved him on many occasions. Thor walked around to view Loki's back. His eyes widened when he saw the large Bilgesnipe scale embedded snugly and deeply in Loki's skin.

"Loki, I realize that this will hurt your pride, but it is necessary for you to receive medical treatment for these wounds," Thor said. His voice was quieter than usual.

Loki's face was expressionless. He nodded tersely in response. He'd only had his pride left, and Thor stripped that from him and tossed it in with the pile of clothes on the floor. Loki lowered his shoulders in defeat. Loki's only comfort was that he expected this whole situation to be irrelevant in a few days, after his side of the bargain was fulfilled.

Thor opened the door to the bathroom to get Bruce. He didn't expect the team to have moved near the bathroom. The whole team looked up as Thor opened the door. It was unavoidable that each of the Avengers saw the wounds on Loki's back, even though it was only for a brief moment.

Thor shut the door behind him, leaving Loki in the bathroom alone. Loki closed his eyes. Even though his back was turned to the door, he could hear the quiet, surprised gasps and feel the shocked stares. He wished that he could move to sit on the edge of the bathtub, but he feared accidentally making the wound on his back even worse.

After a couple minutes, Thor still hadn't returned. Loki decided to move to the edge of the tub to wait – he wasn't sure how long he would be left standing. Loki took slow steps, leaving a trail of blood from the center of the large bathroom to the tub. As Loki lowered himself to sit, his vision became blurred and his ears began to ring.

* * *

"What happened to Loki?" Steve asked Thor. He didn't particularly like Loki, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort at the sight of Loki's scars and fresh wounds.

"My father decided on a harsher punishment than I previously believed," Thor replied. He walked over to Tony's bar and grabbed a glass. Tony normally would have said something about Thor taking his things without asking, but he too was still shocked at the gruesome sight. Tony briefly remembered the days he spent in captivity in Afghanistan, feeling a moment of empathy toward Loki.

Loki's wounds disturbed even Clint, although Clint refused to say anything about it out loud. Clint had experienced torture before as well. The wounds were not as bad as the ones marring Loki's skin, but he could remember the terror he felt. Now he understood why Loki requested death in exchange for helping them. There were times during his imprisonment on a spy mission that he also wished for death.

Bruce grabbed a briefcase full of medical supplies. Fury was always sure to stock first aid equipment in his helicopter in case of emergencies. He motioned for Thor to go with him – he really did not want to face Loki alone, especially if Loki tried to resist treatment.

They entered the bathroom and found Loki sitting at the edge of the bathtub, his head leaning forward as his hands trembled slightly.

"First, I'll remove the object that is in his back," Bruce told them. He wasn't sure what it was – he had never seen anything like it before.

Thor helped Loki turn around so that Loki's feet were in the tub. He was surprised that Loki was not resisting his touch – in fact, Loki was not responding much at all. Thor looked into Loki's glassy eyes and saw that Loki was overwhelmed by pain.

Bruce put on some gloves and carefully grabbed the shard. He had a needle ready to apply stitches after the shard was removed. As Bruce could feel the shard snagging on Loki's flesh as he slowly removed it.

Loki's breathing hitched. It felt like Bruce was ripping flecks of skin off. Loki clenched his fist, trying to distract himself from the pain.

Finally, Bruce finished. Bruce inspected the wound and applied disinfectant. Loki's back felt like it was burning, and he felt nauseous and dizzy. He looked up at Thor and saw Thor's concerned – yet strangely comforting – face before his vision went black.


	5. Chapter 5

**Redemption**

_Pairings_: Tony&Bruce, Natasha&Clint, Loki&Thor, Steve&OC  
_Summary_: Loki has endured Asgardian punishment for the past four years. Meanwhile, the Chitauri race has revived and is searching for Loki. They inform the Avengers that if Loki is not presented to them, they will return to destroy the Earth.

_Author's Note_: Sorry this took so long!

_TW_: Suicidal thoughts.

* * *

Chapter Five

Loki's eyes opened slowly. For a moment, he couldn't see anything as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. He realized that he was back in the poorly lit metal cell in the middle of Tony Stark's living room. As he regained awareness of his surroundings, he noticed that the sharp pain in his back had disappeared. His ankles no longer ached.

However, he did have a dull, throbbing headache centered in his forehead. His first instinct was to bring a hand to the affected area, but the sharp clink of metal-on-metal brought to Loki's attention the restraints digging harshly into his wrists.

"Good, you're awake," Loki heard a voice nearby say. He looked up and saw Clint leaning against the corner of the cell. Clint's eyes stared coldly into Loki's. Loki, although caught off guard, was able to put on an equally chilling glare in response.

Clint knocked loudly against the metal walls to signal to Thor to come remove Loki's shackles. Time was running low – the team only had a day and a half to prepare themselves for the Chitauri's return. They needed Loki's help quickly.

Thor entered the room, nodding at Clint. Clint nodded back in response, his expression stern. He hated that Thor was so nice to Loki, but he wasn't going to complain about it now. Besides, the disheveled criminal in front of him would be dead in a few days anyway. He knew that Loki's death would be hard on Thor, so he'd let Thor have a couple peaceful moments with Loki before Loki's demise.

"Loki, I requested more comfortable amenities for your stay once I had seen your condition. It is unfortunate that their leader, Fury, sees you as a threat. I apologize for the way we must keep you here," Thor said.

After Loki had lost consciousness, Bruce had been able to treat all of Loki's physical wounds. Thor had remained present and had seen the multitude of scars and injuries decorating Loki's previously flawless flesh. He knew that Loki was weak, and that there was no way Loki would be able to escape Stark Tower with all of the Avengers there. He wondered if Loki even had the strength to try without his magic.

"Oh, this chair is already more than satisfactory," Loki drawled, his voice laced with sarcasm. He turned his icy glare toward Thor, but could not hold the anger in his eyes for long when he saw Thor's kind expression. He turned his gaze toward his ankles.

Thor noticed Loki's eyes shift, and was reminded that he needed to remove the shackles. He knelt down and cautiously removed the bands of metal.

* * *

The instant the shackles were removed, Loki felt a surge of magical energy race through his body. Loki was surprised that the amount of magical energy in his body was so high; he had previously thought that his physical weakness would be reflected in his magical strength.

As the magic sent pleasurable tingles down Loki's spine, he briefly considered attempting escape. These thoughts were quickly dismissed, however, when he realized he had nowhere to escape to – and the thought of the Chitauri finding him was terrifying. No, he thought, death was the only option at this point.

Loki did not mention to Thor the magnitude of magical energy reserves he regained only seconds earlier. He was worried that they would put the shackles back on him, and he wanted to be able to feel his magic for the last couple days of his life.

Thor opened the door of the cell. The rest of the team stood crowded near the doorway.

"Well?" Fury said, raising an eyebrow. He had a helicopter team prepared on Tony's roof to go track down the magical source as soon as they were given the location. Steve was in full uniform, ready to bolt up the stairs to join the helicopter. Fury had assigned him to the task – safety measures, in case the magical source turned out to be a threat. "Tell us about what the Chitauri were talking about."

Loki remained silent but closed his eyes, focusing his energy. When he finally felt the source of magic, he raised both his eyebrows. The magical energy was stronger than he expected – not nearly as strong as his, but still strong enough to either be a powerful ally or a serious threat.

"It's strong," Loki informed them. His mouth turned upward in an amused smirk. "It also seems to be human. Very odd. I didn't sense any magic here four years ago – nothing as strong as this, that is. That means it's been growing exponentially."

Loki seemed to have become lost in his mind, saying his thoughts out loud. The prospect of a human who was able to not only realize his or her inner magic, but also grow it – Loki's fingers trembled with excitement. It seemed he would have plenty of amusement during his final days.

Tony held out a glass tablet. A virtual image of New York appeared on the screen, and a red dot marked the Avengers' current location. Loki stopped his fascinated rambling and stared for a moment at the three dimensional map. He then pointed to a building about 30 miles Northeast from their location.

Steve turned and ran up to the helicopter, while Fury reached for the door of the cage, intending to close it with only Thor left inside.

Thor turned toward Loki and noticed that Loki's eyes seemed brighter. It made sense, he thought as he crossed his arms. Loki had always loved magic more than anything.

"Thor, it would make me very happy if you could put those ankle restraints back on him," Fury requested before slamming the door loudly.

* * *

Loki looked at the shackles with contempt. He felt foolish for thinking that the Avengers would allow him to live his last days with his magical energy – the very energy that he felt defined him as a god and as a living being.

"Do as you must," Loki snarled. The shine left Loki's eyes – a loss that left Thor feeling quite discontent. He had not seen that genuine happiness in Loki even once since Thor had retrieved him from Asgardian prison.

"I trust that you will not attempt escape," Thor replied, sitting down on the other chair in the room. "I feel that it is not necessary to shackle you again."

Loki frowned at him. He felt insulted that Thor did not see him as a threat – but then again, he realized it made sense, since his ability to fight physically was less than adequate. And Thor had no idea that his magical strength was at full capacity.

"Leave me," Loki whispered harshly. Although he understood Thor's trust, he couldn't stand the compassion. After all, he'd experienced no kindness for four years. It felt completely foreign to him.

"Loki, change your mind. I wish-" Thor responded, desperately hoping to talk to Loki – not about the Chitauri situation, but about lighter subjects. He missed the excellent conversations he'd grown up with.

"Please," Loki whispered – softly, this time. He hated that he sounded like he was begging. But he couldn't bear to speak with his brother. He'd felt nothing but hurt at Thor's lack of visits during his imprisonment. He didn't feel that Thor deserved to talk to him now, as if the past four years counted for nothing.

Loki had to look away from Thor's crestfallen expression. Thor simply nodded and swiftly exited the room, leaving Loki alone in the cell.

Loki tugged at his wrist restraints. They were tight, but with his magic…

Loki's lips turned up in a genuinely pleased smile as his hands easily slipped out of the restraints. He leaned back comfortably in his chair, thinking about how easy it would be to escape Stark Tower. He had no intention of running now – he again reminded himself that he had no way of leaving Earth and that he would always be at risk of capture by the Chitauri or the Avengers, whichever found him first.

* * *

Half an hour passed. Loki had not been interrupted, and he used this time to stretch his newly healed body. However, he soon heard a loud crash outside his cell. He quickly sat back down on the chair with his arms behind his back, pretending to be restrained.

He heard another explosion, and suddenly the front wall of the cell crumbled, a gaping hole left in its place. He tilted his head, taking in the scene before him. Fury's helicopter was completely demolished and hanging off the side of Stark Tower. The Avengers were in battle mode, all facing the same direction. Captain America seemed to be bleeding from his forehead. Loki turned his head a few inches to the right, and was surprised at their opponent.

Before the group of superheroes stood a young human girl – she couldn't have been more than twenty-five years old. Loki's eyes widened as he realized that this girl was the source of magic that he had found only a little while earlier. Rays of magical energy escaped her body and she glared furiously at the group of Avengers. Loki couldn't help but notice that she had poor control over her magic, making it impossible for her to win a fight against all the Avengers. He would know better than anyone.

It seemed that everyone in the tower forgot that he was there – or maybe they didn't realize that his cell had been blown open. He relaxed his shoulders, hands still hidden behind his back, as he prepared to watch the fight. Perhaps, he mused, this was his final chance at some entertainment.


	6. Chapter 6

**Redemption**

_Pairings_: Tony&Bruce, Natasha&Clint, Loki&Thor, Steve&OC  
_Summary_: Loki has endured Asgardian punishment for the past four years. Meanwhile, the Chitauri race has revived and is searching for Loki. They inform the Avengers that if Loki is not presented to them, they will return to destroy the Earth.

_Author's Note_: Sorry this took so long! My summer class has started and I've just been so busy. I'm going to try to update more frequently though.

_TW_: Suicidal thoughts.

* * *

Chapter Six

"What did you do to piss her off so bad?" Fury asked Steve, frowning. Technically, Steve did complete his mission – bring the source of the magical energy to Stark Tower. But somewhere along the road, Steve must have done something to turn this girl into a threat.

"I-I don't know," Steve stuttered. The mission had been going smoothly. The girl, who told Steve her name was Ivy Madelaine, had been cooperative at first. Steve wasn't sure what he said to anger her, and he didn't have any time to think about it further as Ivy's magical energy shattered the wine glasses displayed in Tony's bar.

"You have got to be kidding me," Tony muttered, fed up with the amount of destruction brought upon his home. He held his wrists out, and he was quickly enveloped in his Iron Man suit. As he held his arm up to blast the girl, he realized that she might not survive it. Instead, clenched his fist and prepared to lunge at her in order to subdue her. However, before he could propel himself forward, he was hit by a blast of energy and was sent flying backwards.

The team turned their surprised expressions toward Tony as he stood up. The blast had hit him on his side, completely burning through his suit and leaving a painful, bleeding wound on his flesh.

Loki raised an eyebrow, intrigued. She did not have much control over her magic, but at least it could do some damage. Maybe, he thought, she did have a chance after all. Loki noted that Tony was lucky to have not been hit in a more vital area, as the magic would most definitely have caused Tony significant damage, even while wearing the Iron Man suit. A direct hit to an unarmored body would easily tear right through flesh and bones – and he could tell the Avengers were thinking the exact same thing according to their worried facial expressions.

Bruce narrowed his eyes. He could feel the other guy in him, struggling to surface as anger burned in his chest. He wasn't sure why he felt so angry over Tony's injury, but he was determined to make sure that no other teammates got hurt. His hands trembled slightly as his skin began to turn green.

"Wait, Bruce," Natasha called out. "Just don't kill her."

Bruce nodded and within seconds, morphed into the Hulk. As much as he wanted to pulverize his opponent, he knew that Natasha was right – they needed to ask her some questions before the Chitauri returned.

He snarled as he approached the girl. She turned her attention toward him and sent a beam of energy in his direction. Loki noticed that it seemed to be the only attack she knew – a detail that reaffirmed his earlier opinion that she lacked adequate control over her magic.

Bruce, in his Hulk state, was too bulky to dodge the attack. It hit him in the arm, and to everyone's surprise, it bounced off his skin and into the floor, leaving the team with a clear view of the scientific lab on the floor below them. Although the attack did not cause the Hulk any serious injury, it did leave a large, bruise-like mark on his arm.

The girl frowned and sent multiple rays of energy at the beastly creature. The Hulk raised his arms, deflecting the beams of energy in different directions, grunting as each beam came in contact with his skin.

Most beams were sent into various inanimate objects, like the furniture and the walls, but one beam was sent straight back toward Clint.

* * *

Time seemed to stand still for a moment, as every Avenger's eyes widened in horror. They knew that although Clint's reaction times were generally superior, there was no way he could dodge a magical attack like this. Clint held his breath as fear shot through him like lightning.

But the moment of impact never came. Instead, a loud _boom_ shook the walls of the tower as the girl's ray of magical energy came in contact with the force field Loki had quickly put up around Clint.

Everyone's attention turned to Loki – even Ivy's. Nobody bothered to hide the surprised expressions on their faces, except Loki. He wore a smirk on his face to disguise his complete, utter shock.

Erecting a force field around Clint had been purely an instinctual reaction. Because magical energy traveled extremely fast, Loki hadn't had time to think about whether or not it was a good idea to step in. But apparently, his subconscious decided it was a good idea, and the force field was created almost faster than he could feel the magic flowing from his body.

Using this moment as a distraction, the Hulk hit the girl over the head with a piece of debris that had been lying near him. He was kind enough to catch her as she fell into unconsciousness.

Meanwhile, Loki realized that his hands were no longer behind his back, as he'd used his fingertips to direct the formation of the force field. He could only chuckle as everyone realized he was not restrained in the least. Fury was the first to react.

"Restrain him, now," Fury ordered. He was grateful that Loki had saved Clint's life, but he firmly believed that a free Loki was a dangerous Loki. He didn't want to take any chances.

"Are you sure that is necessary?" Thor asked. Thor understood Fury's reasoning, but hoped that this was a sign that Loki could be trusted. And of course, Thor wanted to get back on Loki's good side. He was disheartened by Loki's seemingly unending grudge toward him.

"_Brother_, it really doesn't matter. Do as your weak, pitiful leader directs you," Loki drawled, his voice dripping with venom. But the contempt heard in his voice did not reach his eyes – a detail Thor noticed immediately, but to which all others were oblivious.

Thor walked over the pick the metal restraints from the floor while Loki sat back down on the chair, staring coldly at the team of superheroes in front of him. He let his icy gaze linger a little bit longer on Clint, who had to divert his eyes after a split second of eye contact. Clint wasn't sure how to feel about Loki saving his life.

"Thank you for helping us," Thor said as quietly as he could – although with his naturally loud voice, his words were still audible to everyone else in the room. He refastened the restraints on Loki's wrists, but made sure they were loose enough should Loki attempt to free himself again. Loki acknowledged Thor's gesture only with a slight quirk of his eyebrow.

Fury exhaled loudly and turned to Bruce, who had returned to his normal state and had rushed over to help Tony. Ivy was lying on the couch, still unconscious.

"Let's find some secure quarters for the girl," Fury directed. Natasha nodded and moved to pick the girl up, but Steve rushed ahead of her. He felt as if it were his fault that Ivy had to be knocked out, and wanted to make sure she was treated properly.

Tony grunted as Bruce helped him move toward the bathroom. He motioned to Steve to bring the girl up to the floor above them.

"I'll go with you," Natasha offered to Steve. Last time Steve was alone with the girl, she became enraged. Natasha decided that it would be best to sit with her until she awoke – for safety reasons.

* * *

Ivy awoke several hours later. She noticed a dull throbbing in the back of her head as she sat up. Looking around, she realized she was unfamiliar with her location.

"No need to worry, you're safe and nobody is going to threaten you," Natasha said calmly. She was sitting on the chair across from the bed. Steve was sitting in the corner of the room and didn't say a word – per Natasha's firm order.

"Now, would you mind talking to a-" Natasha struggled to find the right word. "-friend of ours?"

Perhaps the word 'friend' wasn't exactly the correct term, Natasha thought as an image of Loki's restrained figure flashed through her mind.


End file.
